Conveyer apparatus



I 1i i i (No Model.) .l fl [1 4 sneets-sneet 1.

GONVBYER APPARAiC'SH i 9| N0. 333,352. P85 ented Dec. 29, 1885.

2. t e e h S Q t e e h S 4 (N0 Model.)

- No. 333,352. Patented Dec. 29, 1885.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. H. SMITH.

GONVEYER APPARATUS. No. 333,352. Patented Dec. 29, 1885.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 4. Y Y,

H. SMITH.v 'Y GONVBYBR APPARATUS. No. 333,352. j Patented Deo.- 29, 1885.

, HIM 1' HIIHIHIIIIIIHHIHHIIIIIIIIIIW N ITED STATES PATENT f QFFICE.

HERVEY SMITH, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

1 CoNvEYER APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,352, dated December 29, 1885.

Application filed October 5, 1885. Serial No. 179,050. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERVEY SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in

the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyer Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in .the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to carrier systems for store and other service; and it consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof, which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch on a conveyer-track. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the under side of the switch. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top side of the switch, showing the parts in position for the passage of cars on the main line. Fig. 4 is a likeview to Fig. 3, but shows the parts in position to divert a car onto the switch. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the switch. Fig. 6 isa longitudinal vertical section of the switch. Fig. 7 is an end View of the switch from the right of Fig. 1, and shows a car passing the switch. Fig. 8 is a top View of the switch and car, and shows the car being diverted to the switch-track. Fig. 9isatop View of the switch, showing the parts A`A separated, and illustrates the method of attaching the switch to a wire track. Fig. 10 (which is on Sheet 2) shows a section of double-faced track made of wood or iron.

It will be seen from the drawings that my improved switch is adapted to that class of conveyers in which the car consists of a trolley which runs on the track, and is provided with a stern or pendant which extends below the track andsupports the object to be carried. It will also be seen that the car shown is substantially like the one shown in Letters Patent No. 326,928, granted t0 my assignee on September 22, 1885, which is provided with two sets of wheels, one running on the track and the other embracing the under side ofthe track, and by observing Fig. 2 it will be seen that the switch is adapted for that kind of a car; but it must not be inferred from this that my improvements are limited to that kind of a car,

for they may be used in connection with almost every form of car devised.

My improvements may also be applied to various forms of track; but I have only shown them applied to single-rail tracks, and I have illustrated the manner of applying them to a taut-wire track. This feature of myinvention consists in making the switch in two parts, A A', and clamping them upon the wire B, forming the track by bolts a a, 8vo. Figs. 5, 6, and 9 show this feature very clearly. Figs. 5 and 6 show how the switch-irons may be made crowning, so as to clamp the straight wire B without bending it and get space above the wire for the adjustment of the parts forming the switch proper, and in Fig. 1 it is shown by dotted lines how the wire may be deiiected down and up again within the two parts A A.

If the track is made as shown in Fig. 10, the

switch-irons will not be clamped upon it, but y 1 it will be enlarged, as shown, at the switchpoints to receive the parts of the switch, and if the track is madeof aplain bar set edgewise the side extensions or ledges, A2 A3, will be bolted to it. v

The ledges A2 and A3, just named, are animport-ant feature of the invention. They are so placed on the side of the track that the wheels of a passing car will rest with their flanges onr these ledges, (see Fig. 7,) and if the car has a lower set of wheels the flanges of these wheels will operate on the under side of the ledges. This gives the car while passing a switch such a bearing on the track as will prevent it from swinging or swaying. The ledges A2 A3 also form a seat for the switch-tongues E E E2 and the slide-bars F F, by which the tongues are moved. TheseA tongues are pivoted on pins e c e2, andthe slide-bars F F' lie in groovesff transverse the track in the face of the ledges. (See Fig. 9.) The slide-bars F F are shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4 as connected together by a lever,G,which is pivoted at g between them, so that the two bars will move at the same time, but in opposite directions. The bar F is connected with the tongues E and E, and the bar F with the tongue EZ, and therefore the two tongues E and E will move together in the same manner, and the tongue E2 will move atY ICO The movement of the switch-tongues is ef# fected by a fender, h,on the car coming in contact with the post H,which is on the bar F on the lever G, and the parts are reacted by the 5 spring i.

In Fig. 8 a modified construction is show-n. Here the tongue Ez is not connected with the lever G, but with another lever, G', which is reacted by a spring, t', and it is so adj usted that o the tongue F2 is keptin place across the space c between the track C and the ledge Aal all the time, but can be pushed aside by stem K of a passing car. In this construction the move ment of the tongue E2 is like that of a spring- 5 latch, and is entirely independent of the movement of the two tongues E and E,which must move together and be moved by the passing car. The fender h on the careXtends some distance ahead and behind thetrolley-wheels,and

o extends far enough to one side to'come in contact with the post H. The posts at the several switches on the line will be of different heights, and the fenders on the several cars will be placed in different positions vertically, and

5 thus only cars which are destined for a par ticular switch will come in contact with the post'H at that switch, and all other cars will pass without affecting the switching devices atthatl station. When the fender does come in contact o with the post H, it is so far extended in front of the wheels that it effects a movement of the tongues before thev wheels reach them. rIhe rear extension of the fender is for holding the tongues in place until the trolley gets onto the 5 side track, C, and the extension H on the post H' is to'enable this to be done with a less rear extension of the fender h than would otherwise be required. W'hen the tongue E2 is madeto operate as in Fig. 8, the rear extension of the o fender h may be Very slight. Where the car has a lower set of wheels, as shown, there is no necessity of movable tongues on the under side o f the switch-ledges. Fig. 2 shows how the track should be cut below the switch.

5 y It `has been referred to above that when' the track is made of a taut wire the switch-irons A A will be clamped upon the wire, and that the wirewill either be deflected down in its passage through the switch-irons, as shown by' 3v dotted lines in Fig. 1; or the switch-iron will bejmade crowning, as in Figs. 5 and 6, so the wire will be far enough belowr the surface to allow the switch-tongues to be placed aboveit. It will beseenthat this obviates the necessity 5 ofcntting the wire at the point where the wheelflanges'pass over it when the car runs oif onto the switchtrack.

The section of track shown in Fig. lOlisintended to be made of wood; but of courseit may be made of iron. Its distinguishing fea# ture is'that the tread of the track is in the wings The central rib, a', is simply to guide thev a. wheels the Wheels, and the wheels do not tread on it but on the faces at the side of the rib, so thewheels tread on the edges of their iiangesin place of on the space between the iianges. rIhe beneas made of the form shown in Fig. l0. The

ledges A2 and A3 at the switches being, as before stated, so placed as to receive the tread of the wheel-ilanges, as seen in Fig. 7, give the same effect as the faces at2 of the track seen in Fig. l0.

In a companion application I show certain of the features of construction I here show, together with others', andI there make a generic claim to said features.

Vhat I claim as new is- 11. In a carrierapparatus, substantially as shown, the combination, with a car having a trolley whichV embraces three sides of the track and operatesA on the upper and lower faces thereof', of a track having a central rib and ledges or extensions on each side of said rib toY receive the tread ofthe flanges of the trolleywheels, for the purposes mentioned.

2. In a carrier apparatus, substantially as shown, the combination,witha car having two" sets of double-flanged wheels arrangedto operate on both the upper and lower faces of the track,of a track having a central rib andledges or extensions'on each side of said rib to receive the tread'of the anges of the trolleywheels, for the purposes mentioned. I

3. Ina carrier apparatus, substantially asf shown, the combination, with a branch orl switch track and a main track, of ledges or projections on either side of the main track ledges are adjusted the means for diverting, the car from one'of said tracks to the other.

4; In a carrier' apparatus, substantially as IOO opposite the endof the switch-trackpnwhich 4 IIO shown, the combination, with a branch or switch track and a maintrack,which consists of a taut wire, of ledges or projections which are-clamped upon the main track opposite the end of the switch-track, and are made crown-` ing, so as toeXtendabove the main track,and\ areV provided upon their upper surfacewith al proper formation to serve as atrack for the car above the embraced wire, and also with means for diverting the car fromone of said trackstoV the other. f

5. In a carrier apparatus; substantially as shown, the combination, with a branch or switch track and a main track,which consists of al taut wire, of ledges'or projections which* endA of the switch-track and support the de-` vices by which-the car is diverted from one-0E `said tracks to the other. This rib lies in betweenlthe flanges of 6l In acarrier apparatus, substantially asidescribed, the combination, with a branch or Aswitch track and a main track,which consists of a taut wire, of ledges or projections-which* are clamped upon the main track oppositethevare clamped upon the main track opposite the` A end of the switch-track, and are provided Aon their upper surface with a proper formation to serve as a track for the car above the embraced wire track, and also with means for diverting the car from one track to the other.

7. In a carrier apparatus, substantially as shown, the combination of a switch-track and a main track, a ledge or projection on the main track opposite the end of the switch-track, a space, c, between the end of the switch-track and the said ledge, and a pivoted tongue on the said ledge, which swings over and opens the said space c.

8. In a carrier apparatus, substantially as shown, the combination of a switch-track and a main track, a ledge or projection, and the main track opposite the end ofthe switch track, a space, c, between the end of the switch-track and the saidledge, and apivoted tongue on the said ledge,which' swings over and spans the said space c.

9. In a carrier apparatus, substantially as shown, the combination of a switch-track and a main track, a ledge or projection on the main track opposite the end of the switch-track, a space, c, between the end of the switch-track and the saidledge, a pivoted switch-tongue on the said ledge, which swings over and spans the space c, and two other pivotedswitch-tongues on said ledge,which lie parallel and are moved simultaneously and operate to keep the car on the main track or diverted therefrom, substantially as set forth.

10. In a carrier apparatus, substantially as shown, the combination,with the main and the switch track, ofthe two parallel pivoted switchtongues E E', the sliding bar F, connecting said tongues, and means, substantially as shown, for moving said bar from the passing car.

11. In a carrier apparatus, substantially as shown, the combination,with the main and the switch track, of the two parallel switch tongues E E, the sliding bar F, connecting said tongues, the tongue E2, the bar F,for moving said tongue E2, and the lever G, connecting said bars F and F', and pivoted between them, so as to move them in opposite directions, and means,A

substantially as shown, for moving said lever G from the passing car.

12. In a carrier apparatus, substantially as shown, the combination ,with the main and the switch tracks, of the parallel switch-tongues E E', arranged with relation to said tracks, as shown, the sliding bar F, for moving said tongues simultaneously, the post H, connected with said sliding bar, and the fender h on the car for operating upon said post.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERVEY SMITH.

Witnesses:

F. B. WHIPPLE, RoBT. H. PORTER. 

